Playing attachment for key musical instruments.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

.H. M. SALYER. PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR KEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- N0 MODEL.

INVE TOR /K/// (17% WITNESSES BY 6/ Z ATTORNEY.

DIE man's :rcns cav wc'roumo, WANINGTUN n r PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

H. M. SALYER. PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR KEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 17. 1902.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

PATENT OFFIC HARRY M. SALYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO LUDWIG & COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; A FIRM.

PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR KEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,963, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed April 17, 1902. Serial No. 103,854. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, HARRY M. SALYER,a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of the'BronX, county 5 and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Playing Attachments for Key Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved playing attachment for key musical instruments which is simple in construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of my improved playing attachment for musical instruments, parts being broken away and others omitted. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view showing the relation between a key, an angle-lever for operating the same, and the bellows-motors for actuating the angle-lever. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through an accent-controller. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail vertical transverse sectional view through a wind-chest, showing the valve mechanisms. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail sectional views of parts.

The playing attachment is provided with a tracker-bar A, having holes a to register- With holes in a suitable music-sheet, (not shown,) which music-sheet during playing is wound from the music-roll B upon a take-up roll 0 and after playing is rerolled from the said take-up roll 0 upon the music-rollB. A motor D drives suitable gearing E for rotatingthe take-up roll C or the music-roll B, and this motor is supported by brackets E from a partition E in which the rolls B and C are journaled.

B is a rod for throwing either the roll B or the roll 0 in gear with the motor, and said rod B by means of suitable intermediate levers can be shifted from a hand-lever F, suitably pivoted in a convenient position for the manipulator.

The keys I) of the instrument are operated by elbow-levers G, pivoted at G to asuitable rail G and springs G serve for throwing these levers into normal position. That end of each elbow-lever opposite the one acting on the key is connected by suitable rod or other connecting device G with the movable board of an exhaust-pneumatic H, of which one is provided for each lever G. Each bellows is attached, by means of its fixed board H, to a tube H projecting from a valve-casing H secured to and projecting from the top of a wind-chest J, and, if desired, the fixed board of the bellows may also be attached to the wind-chest. There are two such wind-chests J, one for the key-striker bellows for the white keys and another for the key-striker bellows for the black keys.

A diaphragm H is held bya cap H in the top of the valve-casing H and from said cap a tube (Z extends to a hole a in the trackerbar. Holes 72 are provided in the casius H directly below the diaphragm. A bore H is formed in a transverse partition in the valve- With the tube H leading to a bellows-pneumatic H, and at the end of said bore seats are formed for two valves 1 and I on a stem 1 attached to the diaphragm H in such a manner that when one valve seats the other 75 is off its seat.

The lower end of the valve-casing H fits in a base-ring 10, having an internally-threaded neck is, which fits in a hole in the top of the suction wind-chest J. A plug K is inserted into the suction Wind-chest J from the bottom and has an externally-threaded neck'lc which is screwed into the neck k of the ring 70 until the bottom shoulder k of the plug K rests against the bottom of the chest.

A diaphragm K is held in the open bottom of the plug K by a cap K from which two tnbesf and f extend to like caps K of other plugs K, which other plugs K may be located in the same Wind-chest Jor in another wind- 0 chestor, in other words, these tubes faud f connect two or more caps K with each other; but one of these caps is always connected'by a tube f witha casing 0 A valvestem K rests on the diaphragm K and car 5 rise the valve K, which can seat on an annular shoulder K in the interior of the plug, and this stem also carries a ,notched guidedisk K below the valve K Ports K in the between the wind-chestJ and the interior of the plug.

casing H which bore is in communication 70 walls of the plug K establish communication roo- The tracker-bar A, as stated, has a number of holes a and a, connected with the holes d and 0, respectively. The tracker-bar also has a chamber A, connected by a small duct A with each tube d or 0, which ducts can each be adjusted in size by a screw A Lis asuction-tube connected with the wind chest, and L is a branch suction-tube extending to a neck V in the valve-casing V, which neck can be closed by a valve V secured to a stem V guided in the neck of a cap V, which clamps a diaphragm V on the casing V, to which diaphragm the valve-stem V is attached. A tube V extends from the cap V to the tracker-bar A and is connected with the chamber A in the tracker-bar by a duct A the same as the other tubes, but this tube V is closed at the outer surface of the tracker-bar, so that no air can pass from the tracker-bar into said tube V, and it serves only as a suction or exhaust tube. The connecting-tube V connects the valve-casing V with a valvecasing M, having an interior neck M, forming a seatfor a valve M having a stem M attached to a diaphragm M held on the casing M by a cap M having a neck which guides the valve-stem M A fine vent-aperture m is provided in the diaphragm M The valve-casing M is connected by a tube L with a valve-casing N, having an interior neck N, forming a seat for a valve N attached to a stem N secured to a diaphragm N held by a cap N on the casing, which valve-stem is guided in the neck of the cap N and projects through said cap and has a hook N formed on its outer end. A packing-ring N reduces the effective area of the diaphragm N The cap N has a vent-aperture N A tube 0 extends from the valvecasing N to the main chest or suction-chamber, (not shown,) and a tube L extends from the neck N to the wind-chest O of a series of accent-controllers, of which one is shown in Fig. 3. The same consists of a casing 0 communicating at its bottom with the windchest 0 and having the bore 0 and side channels O" communicating with this bore. A stem 0 carries two valves 0 and O for closing the ends of the bore 0 and this stem 0 is attached to a diaphragm 0 held on the upper end of the casing O by a cap 0 from which a tube 0 extends to one hole a of a series of six such holes in one end of the trackerbar A. The tubes ff, connected with the bottom caps K of the plugs K, lead to the channels 0 and also connect the several plugs K in such a manner that the plugs K of key-striker mechanisms pertaining to the same notes in the several octaves are connected.

A spring P connects the outer end of the valve-stem N with the lower end of a pivoted lever P, the lower end of which is also attached to a spring P fixed at its other end to the frame or the mechanisms.

A tube Q extends from the cap M of the casing M to a suitable support Q and can be closed by avalve Q attached to a spring Q which normally holds this valve off its seat. This spring Q is located below the lower end of the lever F and has a cam-shaped end, so that for one position of the lever F the lower end of this lever depresses this spring and holds the valve Q on its seat, so as to close the end of the tube Q, and in the other position of the lever F the spring Q is permitted to rise, so as to open the end of the tube Q.

A tube R extends from the main windchestvor suction-chamber (not shown) to a valve-casing R, having an interior neck R forming a seat for a valve R on a stem R secured to a diaphragm R held on said casing by a cap R provided with a vent-aperture R and with a neck guiding the valvestem R through which neck the valve-stem passes. The outer end of the valve-stem R is connected by a spring R and a rod with the lower end of the lever S, pivoted between the levers F and P. The diaphragm R rests on a ring S, so that the effective area of the diaphragm is reduced. 1' is a suction-tube leading to the motor. As soon as the suction mechanism, which may be of any suitable kind, is operated or suction is produced in any other suitable manner in the main suction-chamber and the lever F thrown into the position shown in Fig. l the clutches of the take-up roll Oand music-roll B are so shifted that the music-roll is thrown out of gear with the driving mechanism and the take-up roll is thrown in gear with the driving mechanism, so that the music-sheet is unrolled from the music-roll and rolled upon the take-up roll 0. By throwing the lever Finto the position shown the valve Q is forced down upon its seat and closes the end of the tube Q, thus preventing the passage of atmospheric air into the cap M The valve N is held off its seat by the spring P, thus permitting the air to be drawn through the tubes L and 0 from the valve-casing M. Through the small hole m in the diaphragm M the air is drawn out of the cap M and the. said diaphragm placed in equi1ibriumthat is to say, the effect of the air-pressure on both sides is the same. The diaphragm M being in equilibrium and the air-pressure on the left-hand side of the valve M being less than the pressure on the righthand side, this valve is lifted off its seat, and thus by means of the tubes L and L the air is exhausted from the wind-chests J J and from the hollow tracker-bar, which is connected with the neck M by the tube T. I assume for the present that the plugs K are not provided and that the lower ends of the valve-casings H are in direct communication with the wind-chests J. Whenever a hole in the music-sheet (not shown) registers with the corresponding hole a in the tracker-bar, atmospheric air can pass through the corresponding tube at into the cap H of the corresponding valve-casing H and thus the diaphragm H is placed in equilibrium, as there is atmospheric-air pressure at both sides of the same. The suction in the chamber J can now draw down the valve 1 whereby the valve 1 is seated and the bellows H is brought into communication with the windchest J and air is exhausted from the bellows, causing the collapsing of the latter, whereby the corresponding elbow-lever G is operated and strikes the key. The parts remain inthesepositions as longas the holein the music-sheet registers with the corresponding hole in the tracker-bar. As soon as the music-sheet again closes this hole in the trackerbar the air is exhausted from the tube (Z and the cap H permitting the atmospheric-air pressure acting on the under side of the diaphragm H to force the latter upward, whereby the valve 1 is seated and the communication between the wind-chest and the bellows is interrupted. At the same time the valve 1 is unseated, and the bellows can expand under the action of the spring G on the elbow-lever G. The same operation is repeated every time a hole in the note-sheet registers with a hole in the tracker-bar.

When the accentuation-plugs K are provided, the operation is as follows: The effective area of the upper side of the diaphragm K is reduced by a ring K so that it is less than the area of the valve K The atmospheric-air pressure on the under side of the diaphragm K normally holds the valve K seated. Whenever the valve 1 is unseated, so as to permit the air from the bellows to pass into the wind-chest, the pressure above the valve K is slightly greater than that below the diaphragm K, because the effective area of the valve K is somewhat greater than the reduced etfective area of the diaphragm K, as before stated, and hence the valve K is lowered, and the air admitted in the lower part of the casing H can pass to the chest J. The valve K vibrates more or less under the variations of pressure. Whenever a note is to be accentuated, one hole in a series of six rows of holes in the music-sheet registers with a hole a, leading to the accentuation-controller, corresponding to the key striker mechanism under consideration. Thereby the valve 0 of the corresponding accentuation mechanism is unseated in the same manner as described above for the valve 1 and thus the tubes ff of this accentuationcontroller are brought in communication with the wind-chest O, and consequently the air is exhausted from those caps K connected with this controller. The valves K of the corresponding plugs K are now no longer held on their seat by the atmospheric-air pressure on the lower sides of their diaphragm K, and as the inner area of the diaphragm, which is also subjected to suction, is less in area than the valve K this valve is held down and unseated by the suction. The air is exhausted from the lower part of the valve-casing H and its bellows much more effectively and rapidly,- as the exhaust-opening is larger, and thus a more powerful blow is delivered on the key-that is to say, the note is accentuated. \Vhen the music-sheet closes the corresponding accentuation-hole in the tracker-bar, the valve 0 in' the corresponding accentuation-controller is seated, the valve 0 unseated, and atmospheric air can pass through the tubes ff to the several caps K and the valve K is again seated by atmospheric air-pressure. The valve K is opened only for an instant when the accentuation is not used; but when the accentuation comes into power it is held clear ofi its seat. A note can be struck without accentuation as often as may be desired and when desired may be accentuated, all that is necessary being to provide a proper accentuationhole in the music-sheet, so that this accentuation-hole will register with the trackerbar at precisely the same time that the ordinary playing-hole in the sheet pertaining to the note-striker mechanism to be operated registers with the tracker-bar. The normal position of the valve 1 is off its seat on account of its weight, and immediately as the instrument begins to play it is essential to have these valves seated, and for this purpose air should be exhausted from the trackerchamber A, which causes the unseating of the valve M and the immediate seating of the valve V thus preventing the air from being drawn out of the wind-chest for the time being; but it permits of withdrawing the air from the chamber A in the trackerbar by means of the tube T. The result is that the air is exhausted from all the tubes d and caps H and the valves 1 are seated. At the same time the air is withdrawn by means of the tube V from the cap V and the diaphragm V in the casing V is placed in equilibrium, and the suction on the top of the valve V can now lift this off its seat and then the air can be withdrawn from the wind-chests J through the tubes L in the manner described, and this continues as long as the instrument operates. When the lever P is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the spring P has its greatesttension, and this holds the valve N open to'its greatest extent and the instrument plays loudest. When softer playing is desired, the upper end of the lever P is moved to the left, whereby the spring P is slackened, permitting the valve N to approach its seat to a greater extent. By manipulating this lever the player is thus enabled to play loud or soft, as hemay desire. The spring B is normally of such strength that when the lever S is in the position shown the instrument plays at normal speed. When the upper end of the leverS is moved farther to the right, the tension of the spring R is decreased and the valve R brought nearer its seat, and, vice versa, when the upper end of the lever S is moved to the left the tension of this spring is increased and the valve R is held farther-from its seat, and thus the speed of the instrumentis increased. The operator can thus readily control the speed by moving the lever S. The suction on the left-hand end of the diaphragm R tends to seat the valve R and the tension of the spring R tends to unseat it. If on account of operating the suction-bellows more rapidly the suction is increased, this greater suction also acts on the diaphragm R and thus brings the valve R nearer its seat, and as the suction in the main wind-chest decreases the suction on the left-hand end of the diaphragm R decreases correspondingly, and thus the pull against the spring R is less. The valve R is thus automatically held in proper relation to its seat, according to the tension on the spring R or, in other Words, it is self-governing.

r is a suction-tube leading to the motor.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a suction Wind-chest, of a valve-casing, a base fitted to the valve -casing, a plug passed through the wind-chest and secured to said base, and an accentuating-valve in said plug, substantially as set forth.

2. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a suction Wind-chest, of a base-ringset into the same and having an internally-threaded neck, a valve-casing fitting said base, a valve in said valve casing, a pneumatic connected with the valve-casing, a plug passed through the Wind-chest from the bottom, and having an externally-threaded neck which is screwed into the internal neck of the base-ring, substantially as set forth.

3. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a suction Wind-chest, of a valve-casing on the same, avalve in said casing, a pneumatic connected with the casing, a plug in said casing and having apertures establishing communication between the chest and the interior of the plug, a valve in said plug, and diaphragm acting on said valve, substantially as set forth.

4. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a suction Wind-chest, of a valve-casing on the same, a valve in said casing, a pneumatic connected with the casing, a plug passed through the wind-chest and in communication with the valve-casing, which plug is provided with apertures communicating with the windchest, a valve located in said plug above the apertures, a diaphragm for actuating the Valve in the plug,- the area of which diaphragm is less than that of the valve, sub-- stantially as set forth.

5. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a Valve-casing for controlling the passage of air, of a valve in the same, aspring connect-ed with said valve, a pneumatic device for seating said valve, and an actuating device connected with said spring, substantially as set forth.

6. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a valve-casing, of a valve in the same for controlling the passage of air, a diaphragm for holding said valve on its seat, a spring connected with said valve for holding it off its seat, and means outside of the casing for adjusting the tension of said spring, substantially as set forth.

7. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a valve-casing, of a valve in the same for controlling the passage of air, a diaphragm for holding said valve on its seat, a spring connected with said valve for holding it off its seat, a pivoted lever connected with said spring, substantially as set forth.

8. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a casing having an internal neck, a tube communicating with the casing, another tube communicating with the neck, a valve fitting on said neck, a stem on said valve, a diaphragm held on the casing and connected with said stem, a'cap on the casing and forming a guide for the stem, a spring connected with said stem and means for changing the tension of said spring, substantially as set forth.

9. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a motor, of amusic-roll and a take-up roll, of means for throwing either of these rolls into gear with the motor, a lever for operating such means, a valve-casing, a valve in the same, a diaphragm on the casing to which diaphragm the valve is secured, a cap over said diaphragm, means for producing suction in the casing, a tube extending from said cap, a valve for closing the end of said tube and means for operating said valve from the lever that is used for operating the motor-gear,

substantially as set forth.

10. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination With a motor and a music-sheet rolling and rerolling gear, a lever for shifting the motor musicroll gear, a valve-casing, a valve in the same, a diaphragm in the casing, to which diaphragm the valve is secured, a cap over said diaphragm, means for producing suction in the casing, a tube extending from said cap, a Valve for closing the end of said tube, which valve is operated from the lever that is used for shifting the music-roll gear, substantially as set forth.

11. In aplaying attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with a suction-tube, of a motor connected therewith, a Valve casing interposed in said suctiontube, a valve in said casing, means for seating the valve by suction and a lever for unseating the valve, substantially as set forth.

12. In a playing attachmentfor mechanical musical instruments, the combination with suction wind-chests, and key-striker mechanisms connected with said chests, of a tube for exhausting air from said chests, a trackerbar having a chamber, two valve-casings interposed in said tube, a valve in each casing, a diaphragm in each casing connected with the valve, a cap over each diaphragm, a tube extending from the cap of the Valve nearest the suction wind-chest to the chamber in the tracker-bar, a tube extending from the chamber in the tracker-bar to a point in the said tube between the two valves, substantially as set forth.

13. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with suction wind-chests and key-striker mechanisms connected with said chests, of a tube for exhausting air from said chests, a trackerbar having a chamber, two valve-casings interposed in said tube, a valve in each casiu g, a diaphragm in each casing connected With the corresponding valve, a cap over each diaphragm, a tube extending from the cap of the valve-casing nearest the suction wind-chest to the chamber in the tracker-bar, a tube extending from the chamber in the tracker-bar to the said suction-tube at a point between the two valves, a diaphragm of the second valve from the wind-chest having an equalizing aperture and means connected with the cap of this second valve for admitting or excluding atmospheric air at will, substantially as set forth.

14. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with suction wind-chests and key-striker mechanisms connected with the same, of a tube for exhausting the air from said chests, a trackerbar having a chamber, a tube for exhausting the air from said chamber in the tracker-bar, and means for first exhausting the air from the chamber in the tracker-bar, and then from the wind-chests, substantially as set forth.

15. In a playing attachment for mechanical musical instruments, the combination with suction wind-chests, and key-striker mechanisms connected with the same, of a tube for exhausting the air from said chests, a tracker-bar having a chamber, a tube for exhausting the air from said chamber in the tracker-bar, a valve mechanism for controlling the exhausting of air from the Windchests, and means for automatically opening said valve by exhausting the air from the chamber in the tracker-bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1902.

HARRY M. SALYER. Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, ELLA DE GRU. 

